Latch with switch

Abstract

In a latch with a switch, when a movable member is pushed into a housing against a force of a coil spring, the movable member is locked in a pushed-in position by a lock mechanism and a switch is turned on. When the movable member is pushed again into the housing, the movable member is returned to a protruding position and the switch is turned off. The switch is formed of a pin attached to the movable member and having both ends protruding from two opposite sides of the movable member; and a pair of fixed terminals fixed inside the housing. When the movable member is at the protruding position, both ends of the pin become a conducting state, and when the movable member is at the pushed-in position, both ends of the pin become a non-conducting state. The conducting and non-conducting states can be reversed.

1. A latch with a switch, comprising:
 a housing having an opening, 
 a movable member movably disposed in the housing, and having a portion to be able to protrude outside the housing through the opening, 
 a forcing member disposed in the housing for urging the movable member to protrude outside the housing, 
 a locking member disposed between the housing and the movable member for locking the movable member at a lock position against a force of the forcing member, and 
 a switch disposed in the housing for performing a switching operation and formed of a movable terminal having a pin attached to the movable member, said pin having two ends protruding outwardly from two side surfaces of the movable member and located inside the housing, and a pair of fixed terminals attached inside the housing for contacting with or separating from the movable terminal according to movements of the movable member, said fixed terminals being affixed to inner surfaces facing each other in the housing, 
 wherein said housing further includes a movable terminal insertion hole formed in at least one of the two opposing inner surfaces for inserting the pin of the movable terminal. 
 
   
   
     2. A latch with a switch according to  claim 1 , wherein said movable terminal is arranged to be rotatable relative to the movable member. 
   
   
     3. A latch with a switch according to  claim 2 , wherein said movable terminal has a circular cross section. 
   
   
     4. A latch with a switch comprising:
 a housing having an opening, 
 a movable member movably disposed in the housing, and having a portion to be able to protrude outside the housing through the opening, 
 a forcing member disposed in the housing for urging the movable member to protrude outside the housing, 
 a locking member disposed between the housing and the movable member for locking the movable member at a lock position against a force of the forcing member, and 
 a switch disposed in the housing for performing a switching operation and formed of a movable terminal having a pin attached to the movable member, said pin having two ends protruding outwardly from two side surfaces of the movable member and located inside the housing, and a pair of fixed terminals attached inside the housing for contacting with or separating from the movable terminal according to movements of the movable member, said fixed terminals being affixed to inner surfaces facing each other in the housing, 
 wherein each of said fixed terminals includes a terminal hole having an end portion, said pin being located in the terminal hole to be able to contact with the end portion or separate therefrom. 
 
   
   
     5. A latch with a switch according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking member is arranged such that when the movable member is pushed into the housing against the force of the forcing member, the locking member locks the movable member at the lock position, and when the movable member at the lock position is pushed again into the housing against the force of the forcing member, the locking member releases the movable member from the lock position. 
   
   
     6. A latch with a switch according to  claim 5 , wherein said switch is arranged such that when the movable member is locked at the lock position, the switch becomes one of an on state and an off state, and when the movable member is released from the lock position, the switch becomes the other of the on state and the off state.